Have you all met my friend
Craig? Recently I have been singing his
praises and, around here, furniture in, means furniture out. So I had this cute little buffet table that the new campaign dresser replaced (after pictures coming soon, I promise.) I bought our little table off of a friend when Jeff and I were first married.
It has been painted, stripped, stained, sanded, painted - the works over five years and used as a dining room buffet, sofa back table, entry table, really, it is such a versatile little piece. When we found our new campaign dresser to replace it, as much as I have loved this little table, I need to not accumulate enough furniture for a showroom. After a quick coat of paint, I turned to my good friend Craig.
See... so versatile!
Tips for a quick and effective sale on Craigslist.....
- Be as detailed as possible. In the ad above I mentioned all of the positive qualities of the piece - solid wood, freshly painted, oil-rubbed bronze pulls, etc. If the piece was a popular name brand like Pottery Barn, Ballard Designs, Thomasville, etc. make sure you list it in your ad. If there are problems with the piece you are listing like a cracked drawer front or the light fixture is inoperable, make sure you list that in the ad. However, if the item could be easily and cheaply fixed, do it before you list it, few people search Craigslist for a project. I figured a fresh coat of paint in a more universally accepted color would help the buffet sell faster, I happened to have plenty of paint leftover from the campaign dresser project so it cost nothing to improve the piece.
- List on Thursday or Friday. Most people are only available to pick up furniture on the weekends. Thursdays and Fridays are primo days for listing since people start looking to set up pick-up appointments.
- Include Pictures. This may seem obvious but with gas prices being what they are, people don't want to drive across town to find that the piece you listed is not what they wanted. Why waste your time and theirs, ya know?
- Stage your furniture. In my listing I showed the buffet in our house (not in the garage or laying on the sidewalk) and decorated. It looks better when someone can imagine using the furniture and it looks more inviting. If you are listing a couch, add some throw pillows, a blanket, etc. There is no problem including a picture of the couch undecorated so that the viewer knows your not trying to hide stains and flaws.
- Price the piece fairly. You can typically list items a little higher than you would at a yard sale but if you are too high, no one will email you, so make it competitive. Leave a little wiggle room just in case you get a haggler at your door.
I listed the buffet at 7pm on Friday night and I had my first email at 10pm. By 10am on Saturday morning the buyer arrived at my house, cash in hand and paid full asking price. I received five other offers on Saturday before I removed the posting!
Using the tips above, we have successfully sold - all of our old kitchen cabinets, old kitchen counters, various longerberger baskets, various building supplies, furniture, and appliances.
Safety notes:
Always be careful when using Craigslist. I never arrange for someone to pick up a piece when I am home by myself. I also do not list phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, etc. in the listing. I do not invite buyers into my home, I have Jeff move the furniture out onto the porch or driveway. Please be safe!
